Panchayat polls: Improper to tweak criteria now, SC told

Haryana government today told the Supreme Court that it would be “inappropriate” at the moment to tweak with the minimum educational criteria fixed by the recent amendment in the state election law for candidates to contest panchayat polls.

“I have taken instructions. It would be inappropriate for us (Haryana government) to tweak the education qualification criteria at the moment,” Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Haryana, said.

Rohatgi then told the bench of justices J Chelameswarand A M Sapre that “let the petition be decided at the earliest if the court does not agree with the plea to vacate its interim order.”

The Election Commission, meanwhile, told the bench that it would come out with fresh election notification only after the apex court decides the petition on the issue.

The court, which has now fixed the petition for final hearing on October 7, asked the Haryana government to file its response within ten days.

Earlier, the apex court had stayed the amended provisions of the law and sought the state’s reply in four weeks.

The amended law fixes matriculation as essential qualification for general candidates contesting the panchayat elections, while the qualification for women (general) and Scheduled Caste candidates has been fixed at Class VIII.

However, in case of a woman candidate belonging to SC category contesting election for the post of Panch, the minimum qualification would be Class V pass, the new law says.